Promises
by RaiLei
Summary: oneshot. Arietta never understood why Ion replaced her with Anise, everything she'd done was for him. Where had it gone wrong?


She used to smile, the gesture lighting up her heart shaped face.

Her laugh was contagious; her companion joining in.

She would flip her bubblegum pink hair back as she did her job.

Hands clasped behind her back, she watched the fields around them as they moved across the plains visiting the monuments once again. Following behind the green haired Fon Master, Arietta couldn't help but smile.

"_Arietta," he has said, a smile on his face. "When we get back to Daath, I have something to give you."_

"_What?" Arietta said, a grin on her features as she crept closer to the Fon Master. "A gift? But when did you . . .?"_

"_In Grand Chokmah," he simply said._

_Arietta rolled her eyes, letting go of his arm in favour of placing them on her hips. "Is _that_ where you disappeared too? I was worried Ion – imagine what Mohs would say . . ."_

"_It was fine," Ion said with a shrug, pushing Arietta's bangs away. "You know I'd come back to you."_

_Arietta nodded, words failing her as a blush crept over her features._

_On there way up the Cathedral steps later that day and through the door and down the multiple hallways that led to Ion's office, Arietta could hardly contain her excitement. Upon seeing the office door, Arietta left Ion's side as she ran forward, a bubbly laugh escaping her lips. Throwing the door open, Arietta froze, her eyes quickly finding Ion's present._

_There sitting on the couch in the corner of the small room sat the stuffed animal she had taken a liking to at the bazaar they'd stumbled across in Grand Chokmah._

"_Ion!" she had yelled, looking from the stuffed animal to Ion. "How did you – you're the best!"_

_Letting out a laugh, Arietta crossed the room, scooping up the stuffed animal, hugging it to her chest. Ion smiled as he closed the office door soundlessly behind him, watching the pink haired girl. Catching sight of Ion's stare, Arietta grinned – and holding the animal in one hand, ran at the green haired teen, throwing her free arm around him. _

"_Ion – oh! I wish I had got something for you . . ."_

_It's alright," Ion said, placing an arm awkwardly around her. "You're here now – there's a reason you're my only female guardian."_

_Arietta blinked, clutching the animal tightly, her heart pounding. She wondered idly if Ion could hear it . . ._

That was the last time Arietta spoke with Ion.

The next day, Ion had collapsed and she'd been barred entrance to his room.

Arietta worried about him – the Score had predicted his death, even though she tried to ignore that.

A week later, she found out that Ion had gotten better – the Score had been _wrong_.

"You've been replaced as a Guardian," Van told her as she approached the hospital wing. "We have to take better care of Fon Master Ion – Anise Tatlin has been appointed in your absence."

Words failed her as Van's hand gripped her shoulder, spinning her around, leading her away. She shook her head – Ion _wouldn't_ send her away. He said he'd _always_ come back to her, that she was his only female guardian for a reason.

"Arietta, from what I've seen in battle, you are quite skilled. You would make an excellent asset to my Generals. Think about it." And like that, he was gone.

Arietta didn't need to think about.

Ion belonged with her – _Anise Tatlin_ wouldn't last a week.

However, two days later, she'd seen enough of Anise and Ion chatting and laughing, acting like she'd _never_ been there . . .

Clutching the stuffed animal Ion had given her, she'd gone to Van.

Soon after that, she joined the God Generals.

Her smile _disappeared_ and her laughter died . . .

She **hated** Anise for taking Ion away.

But she couldn't hate Ion even if she tried . . .

Van knew her feelings – did he feel _pity_ for her? – and raised the Isle of Feres for her.

_Maybe, just maybe_, Arietta thought._ If Ion saw this place . . . maybe he wouldn't need Anise anymore._

He'd come back to her – just like he said he would.

Van told her he was trying to get in contact with Ion; but Anise was good at disappearing.

He wanted her to stay in Feres, that he would bring Ion to her.

That was until she heard of Van's _death_ – at the hands of Anise's friends, no less – that she decided to act. She was going after Ion herself, she'd overheard Legretta say that he was in Daath at the time being, researching something.

_How like Ion_, she'd thought, climbing onto her Liger's back. _Always with his nose in a book, probably a million papers scattered on his desk._

Then, upon reaching Daath – how long had it been since she'd been there? – she'd found Legretta and the Oracle Soldiers lying in wait for Ion . . .

"Get Ion out of here, Anise!" She'd shouted, acknowledging the brunette.

She pushed down the pain as Anise grabbed Ion's hand pulling him along behind her. Hadn't Ion pulled her along behind him that first time she'd been forced onto a boat? Maybe _he_ had moved on . . . maybe Anise was better for him . . .

"Shouldn't we _help_ her?" she heard Ion say as Luke shouldered the door open.

_Well_,_ maybe he hasn't forgotten_, she allowed herself to think, glaring at Legretta.

"She's a God General," Anise chirped back, rolling her eyes. "Let them handle their own problems."

Scratch that, Anise was a bigger annoyance.

Then, two weeks later it reached her ears that Anise had betrayed her group. She'd been working for Mohs and had taken Ion deep into Mt. Zaleho. She'd paused when she heard that, her heart hammering in her chest; wasn't Mohs trying to excavate the Seventh Fonstone?

"That can't mean . . ."

"Ion's dead." Largo said, looking down at her.

_Ion's dead . . . Ion's dead . . ._ she chanted in her mind.

She could only come to one conclusion – it was Anise. It was _all_ her fault! If she'd _never_ taken Ion from her . . .

"It's all because of Anise!" Arietta shouted, stamping her foot. "She's . . . she's _taken_ everything from me!"

When Anise came to the Isle of Feres . . . that was _too_ much.

Anise had taken her job and Ion from her. Then, Anise had _betrayed_ Ion and had him killed. But coming to Feres – her _home_ . . .

"What? Are you saying you want this duel here and now?"

Arietta forced down the urge to nod; hugging her stuffed animal to her instead. "My mediator, Largo, will decide the place. You can wait to hear from him." Glaring at the brunette, Arietta climbed up onto her Liger, a frown marring her features. "I fought for Ion, and for Van. But, now Ion is gone. I'm going to get revenge. I _**won't**_ lose."

Arietta knew she'd win; she had to avenge Ion.

She told Largo not to interfere.

It didn't surprise her that Anise had brought her friends with her.

That was why she brought her Liger siblings.

But, that's where _everything_ went wrong for the pink haired girl.

Arietta was overconfident, jealousy overcoming her.

It wasn't until she was the last one standing that it sunk in.

_I don't want to die_, she thought frantically.

"I won't lose!" she yelled, feeling her fonon's gathering. "Evil Light!"

Her breath came heavily as she dodged one of Guys attacks, her staff slipping from her grasp. Shaking her head, she pressed a hand to her side, wincing from the pain. As she quickly snatched her staff back off the ground, she glared at Anise, perched on top of Tokunaga. "Cent–"

"_Final Fury_!"

It all happened so suddenly.

Arietta's eyes widened, dropping her stuffed animal as she raised her hands to protect herself from Tokunaga's furious attacks.

Letting out a yell, the pink haired girl fell roughly to the ground, the wind knocked out of her.

Wincing as she felt the pain in her back spreading, a heavy weight on her chest, she felt tears springing to her eyes. Her arms felt heavy and her legs disconnected. She could hardly feel _anything_ through the waves of pain wracking her body.

"Ion . . ." she whispered, she wished he was there. "It hurts . . . so much . . ."

Arietta could hear Anise talking, her voice miles away. She heard Largo approaching her, his footsteps reverberating in the ground. But, she didn't care as her breathing became short, her eyelids heavy.

"Ion . . ."

She could see the green haired youth so clearly, standing on the opposite side of the clearing, smiling at her. She grinned slowly, pain etched across her face as she tried to raise her hand up, searching. Ion was here . . . _her_ Ion and her mommy Liger behind him.

Ion grinned, taking her outstretched hand. "I told you I'd always come back to you, Arietta."

Arietta grinned fleetingly, holding his hand tightly. "Ion . . ."

Her smile still in place, Arietta froze, her hand falling back to the ground, unmoving.

---

Inspiration was; "Lucky" by Bif Naked (although Ion and Arietta aren't _exactly _lucky) and - sort of - "The Promise" by When In Rome.


End file.
